Process of converting a low pitch house to a house of higher pitch



June 26, 1962 E. T. AYOTTE PROCESS OF CONVERTING A LOW PITCH HOUSE TO A HOUSE OF HIGHER PITCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1960 INVENTOR. EDWHRD 7T HYoTTE H TTORNEY June 26, 1962 E. T. AYOTTE PROCESS OF CONVERTING A LOW PITCH HOUSE TO A HOUSE OF HIGHER PITCH Filed June 27, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EDWHRD 7T fiYoTTE 7 IHTTORZVEY June 26, 1962 Filed June 27, 1960 E. T. AYOTTE PROCESS OF CONVERTING A LOW PITCH HOUSE TO A HOUSE OF HIGHER PITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

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H TTORNEY United States PROCESS OF CONVERTING A LOW PITCH HOUSE This invention relates to. building constructions, and more particularly to an apparatus for converting a low pitch roof Ranch type house to a high pitch roof Cape Codi house having a greater living space.

One object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus ofthe above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance and very eificient and durable in use. 7

With these and other objects in View, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings, one form in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view, on a small scale, of the'original ranch house having a low pitch roof, showing the locations of the transverse cuts at the ends of the roof and the narrow slots which are made at the eaves above the hinging area.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional detail view, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, on a larger scale, showing the construction of the original roof joists and one of the rafters above the house bearing wall.

FIG. ,3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2, in which a vertical out has been made in the lower part of the rafter, and a stationary hinge member has been secured to the joist.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view, taken from the broken line 44 ofFIG; 3, showing the nails which secure the stationary hinge member to the joist. FIG. 5 isa perspective view of one of the stationary hingemeinbers, shown separately.

' FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, showing the appearance of a rafter after the inclined relief chip'has been removed from the top thereof.

FIG. 7 is a top view similar to FIG. 4, showing the additional nails for temporarily securing a rafter to the joist afterthe vertical out has been made to maintain said rafter in its original position until the movable hinge has been secured thereto.

FIG.8 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, showing the appearance of one of the framing members after the movable hinge member has been secured to the rafter.

FIG. 9 is a top View, similar to FIGS. 4 and 7, taken from the broken line 9-9 of FIG. 8, after the pivot bolt has been assembled.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the movable hinge member, shown by itself.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view, on a small scale, of'the original ranch type house showing its appearance after the hinges have been applied at each of the framing members at the eaves below the side slots in the roof.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the original ranch type house, on a larger scale, taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 11, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

showing in dotted lines one of the roof sections raised to its higher pitch position.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view, on a larger scale, of one of the roof sections showing its appearance after it has been raised to the new pitch, and showing the additional hole in the movable hinge member, which is used to guide a drill for producing a hole through the rafter to permit the insertion of the additional bolt which serves to rigidity the construction of the new higher pitched roof.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 12, showing the appearance of the roof after the rafters have been raised to their higher pitch position, and also showing an upper truss held at the ridge of the roof by the two pairs of connecting bolts.

FIG. 15 is a top view, partly broken away, and partly in section, taken along the line 15I5 of FIG. 14, on a larger scale, and showing the pair of cross bolts for se- 1 curing the rafters in their raised higher pitch position.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view, on a smaller scale, showing the appearance of the original roof when raised to its final high pitch position prior to the application of the gable panels, the roof sheathing, and the additional shingles needed to complete the house.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals 1i) and 11 indicate, respectively, the end and side walls of an original ranch type house R, having roof sections 12 and 13 of an original low pitch, such as 5 inches to the foot.

The first step in converting the ranch type house R to a modified Cape Cod house CC having a higher pitched roof, is to make transverse cuts C in the roof sections 12 and 13, and to also cut a pair of narrow horizontal slots 14 in said roof at the eaves above the framing section 15, which forms the connection between the rafters I7 and 18 and the horizontal joists 16. The original ranch house R is provided with a ridge pole 19 for connecting the roof sections 12 and 13, which are provided with the usual sheathing 19a and shingles 20.

The next step is to provide a plurality of stationary hinge members 21, preferably of plywood, one of which is attached to each horizontal joist 16 at the eaves by means of nails 26 beneath each of the rafters 17 and 18, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7. Each stationary hinge member 21 is provided with a As" hole 23 near its outer end through which a hinge bolt 28 is adapted to be passed. The bolts 23 are secured in place by nuts 29 and washers 30, as shown.

After the stationary hinge member 21 has been secured in place, the hole 23 is used as a template for drilling a hole 23a through each of the rafters 17 and 18 (see FIGS. 6, 8). A vertical cut C will then be made near the lower end of each of the rafters 17, 18, and said rafters will be temporarily secured to the adjacent joists 16 by a plurality of nails 27 (three in this instance) as clearly shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 of the drawings, the movable hinge member 22 will be put into position and the bolt 28 passed through its hole 24, as shown in FIG. 9. The movable hinge members 22 will then be permanently secured by a plurality of nails 26a to the rafters 17 and 18 above the vertical cuts C, as clearly shown in FIG. 8 of the drawing. The nails 27 serve to maintain Patented June 26, 1962 the original plane of the roof until the movable hinge members 22 have been secured to the upper cut section of the rafters 17, 18 after which said nails will be removed.

Before installing the movable hinge member 22, it is necessary to remove a 45 degree 2 x 2% inclined chip 31 from the top of each cut rafter tail to provide clearance for the rafters 17, 18 as they move upwardly to the new pitch as shown at the left of FIG. 12. It will be understood that before raising the roof to its new higher pitch position, it will also be necessary to cut the nails (not shown) at the ridge pole is to free the rafters to be raised. This may be accomplished by means of a power hack saw (not shown).

It will also be understood that the lifting force must originate from the area directly over the central bearing wall of the house. Enough jacks must be used to exert the necessary lifting pressure, said jacks being located not more than 8 feet apart, from center to center. The jacking operation will be continued until the desired pitch is attained, as determined by a triangular template T, as shown in FIG. 14.

After the accurate elevation to the raised pitch (such as eleven inches to the foot) has been attained, a A hole will be drilled through each of the newly positioned rafters 17, 18 and the adjacent joists 16 respectively, using as a guide the predrilled hole 25 in the movable hinge member 22. An additional /8 bolt 32 will then be inserted through the inner holes thus made, and tightened and secured by means of a nut 33 and a washer 34. At this time also, the original pivot bolts 28 will be retightened.

All the preceding operations will then be repeated on the rear of the house, until both roof sections are elevated to the new pitch desired. The next step in the process is to erect vertical plumb members P at each end of the house exactly lined up with the centers of the original ridge pole 19, the top of said plumb members P being slightly higher than the peak of the newly raised roof. A taut guide wire 42 (FIGS. 12 and 14) will then be stretched in a horizontal position between the plumb members P. This wire 42 will serve as an apex guide for the positioning of a plurality of prebuilt, predrilled triangular trusses 35, as clearly shown in FIGS. 14 and 16 of the drawing. Each truss 35 consists of a pair of inclined side arms 36, 37 which extend a considerable distance down the slope of the rafters 17, 18 from the top of the roof beyond the location of the tops of the original rafters.

Each truss 35 will be installed by raising it evenly into the void between the raised roof sections, with the truss apexes in exact alignment with the guide wire '42, and with the trusses fitted snugly against the underside of the existing roof sheathing 19a. The top triangular ridge piece is indicated by the numeral 40 and the chord of each truss is indicated by the numeral 41.

It will be understood that the chord 41 of the truss 35 must be exactly horizontal and ready for connection to front and rear roof sections of the house. For this purpose, the holes 38a, 39a, which are predrilled in the truss 35, will be used as a guide for drilling holes through the main roof rafters 17, 18 for connection to said truss, after which a pair of /8 bolts 38, 39 will be inserted through said holes 38a, 39a and secured together tightly as by nuts and washers.

Since all the original rafters 17, 18 were connected to a common ridge 19, which is discarded, a template (not shown) may be used for locating all the remaining holes to be drilled for connecting the trusses. This template will be drilled and used to mark and drill all the remaining connecting holes. Preferably, the trusses 35 should be inserted and installed alternately from the gable ends 10, working toward the middle of the house. When the two trusses nearest the gable ends of the house have been properly positioned and installed, two

4 members of a crew will be dispatched to replace the roof shingles 26 and sheathing at the eaves of the roof. When this is completed, the prebuilt gable wall sections will be secured in position.

Two conventional rafters of the new pitch will preferably be installed at each gable end of the raised roof sections, being nailed through the overhanging roof sheathing 3%. The windows may then be installed, and the outside siding and trim applied as desired. After all the trusses have been installed, the exposed portions will be shingled.

A 2" x 6 precut and beveled joist will be placed between each two existing joists, pushed to the front and rear of the house until the ends bypass the outer plate, and wedge themselves against the lower side of the sheathing of the undisturbed original eaves cornice. The precut joist will then be nailed securely to the top of the central housing bearing partition, after which the two bypassing ends will be secured together, as by spikes (not shown).

The final step in the process of conversion of the ranch house R to the Cape Cod house CC is to install a prefab stairway, trim off, and provide a temporary cover of sheet rock at the top of the stair well. The balance of the interior finish work may then be completed in the conventional manner.

In the existing ranch house attic, the rafters which will enclose the increased living space to be formed, will first be located, most usually the second or third rafter from the gable ends being so chosen, depending on the length of the roof sections to be raised. Having determined these rafters, nails should be driven through the roof sheathing and outer roof shingles, said nails being in close contact with the inside face of all four rafters. The cutting lines C may then be made, as With the aid of a chalk line. In the courses of roof shingles at the ends 10 of the original roof, which will not be raised, 5" x 7" aluminum flashings will be inserted.

One advantage of the present invention is, that a ranch type house R may be converted to a higher pitched Cape Cod house CC having greater cubical capacity and living space, at a substantial saving in expense and time per conversion, as compared with previous practice.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in various other equivalent forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

1. The process of converting a house having a pair of low pitched roof sections to a house having roof sections of higher pitch, which comprises cutting four trans- "verse slits in the roof sections at the gable ends of said house, cutting horizontal slots at the caves of said roof sections to permit access to the lower ends of the rafters and the outer ends of the horizontal joists of said house, attaching stationary hinge members to the outer ends of each of said joists, cutting slits near the lower tails of said rafters to sever said tails therefrom, removing triangular upper chips from the inner ends of said tails, attaching movable hinge members to the lower ends of said rafters above said tails, pivotally connecting said stationary and movable hinge members together, disconnecting the roof portions at the ridge of said house, and raising the upper sections of said out rafters to said higher pitch.

2. The process as defined in claim 1, including securing together the upper ends of said rafters when fully raised to their high pitched position by a plurality of triangular trusses attached to the upper ends of said rafters.

3. The process as defined'in claim 1, including securing said movable hinge members When in raised position to said horizontal joists by drilling holes through said rafters and joists in said raised position and inserting attaching bolts through aligned holes in said rafters and joists.

4. The process of converting a house having a pair of low pitched roof sections to a house having roof sections of higher pitch, Which comprises cutting four transverse slits in the roof sections at the gable ends of said house, cutting horizontal slots at the eaves of said roof sections to permit access to the lower ends of the rafters and the outer ends of the horizontal joists of said house, attach- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS De K. Cutts Dec. 10, 1867 Shumaker Apr. 15, 1952 

